MEMORIES OF MEMPHIS

Willie Learns To Study
by Bill Tucker

It was the first day of Algebra class at Snowden.   The classroom windows were all wide open - no air conditioning in those days.  The room faced the City Zoo, and the animal sounds were more interesting than the teacher - Mr. Steckle.  (Not sure of the spelling!)   I was daydreaming while primarily listening to the animals.  He was rambling on about math stuff, but I did notice he kept referring to a "New Miracle"  about something called a coefficient.  After using that term several times, I distinctly recall thinking - "OK, so it's a New Miracle - get over it!!"  Of course - what he was talking about was the numerical coefficient.  This small instance sums up my main study problem - I never paid attention in class.  There were other problems, such as I never looked at the homework assignments much less complete the assignments.

After arriving at Tech I took Algebra II with Miss Gavin.  She was a GREAT teacher - she could explain difficult math concepts in such a way that even I could understand.  She made math fun.  But, I still didn't study, so I got lucky and managed a "C."  I took Mechanical Drawing I and II and Chemistry with Mr. Drane in the 10th and 11th grade.  Struggled to get C's in all. 

In the 11th grade my uncle had helped me get a job as copy boy with the local paper.  When I started the 12th grade I decided typing would come in handy in my after school job, not to mention the fact that more girls than boys took typing.  But there was a problem - I had been using the "Hunt and Peck" method at work for 9 months.  After two weeks I knew that I would never get most of my fingers to go to the correct keys.  Since I had flunked Spanish in the 10th grade I knew I could not graduate if I dropped typing.  I had to find another course.  I talked to Mrs. Wade - a very special person.  She always put students first!  We looked over the available courses, and I selected Physics with Mr. Drane.  Mrs. Wade was very surprised at my selection and proudly told me - "William, we have had many students drop Physics to take Typing, but I have never had a student drop Typing to take Physics!" 

Mr. Drane's teaching method was highly unusual.  He would assign pages to be covered in the next class, which of course, I never read.  During class he would call out a problem number, then everyone in the class would try and solve it.  The first one to get it right would get 5 points, second right answer got 4, etc.  My technique was to read the problem, skim the book for a similar example, then work the problem.  I didn't get any "5's" but I got lots of 3's and 2's.

About half way through the school year, Mr Drane told me, "William you have a good brain, and if you lived in Russia they would point a gun at your head and make you study.  Then you would be a top student."  I didn't study Physics either, so I got another grade of C.  His statement to me came true after I enlisted in the Air Force.  They didn't use a gun, just a threat.

I joined up November 12, 1958.  I had scored well enough on the enlistment tests that I qualified for electronics school.  After 4 weeks basic training most recruits would transfer to other bases, finish basic training there, and start tech school.  Most Air Force tech schools did not start new classes over the holidays.  So, yours truly got 12 weeks basic training at Lackland.  Next came a 10 day leave, then off to Kessler AFB in Biloxi, MS.

The electronics school at Kessler ran 3 shifts - 6 am to noon, noon to 6 pm, and 6 pm to midnight.  I got the night shift.  The first night a sergeant came into the classroom to welcome us to school.  Just before he finished he told us he had a few words of advice.  Here's the advice that changed my life forever.  "Some of you will go back to the barracks, study, then graduate, have a 20 plus year career, retire, and have a good life.  Others, will go back to the barracks, study, graduate, have a 4 year tour of duty, get discharged, find a job or get a degree in electronics, retire, and have a good life.  Then there are others that will go back to the barracks, someone will say "The bars are open in Biloxi, lets go." You go there, don't study, and then fail electronics school.  To those I say - The Air Force will do with you what it damn well pleases!"  It was right there I decided to study when I got back to my barracks.

I had joined the Air Force to see the world.  Unfortunately, I studied too much and finished top of my class.  The Air Force kept me as an instructor in electronics at Kessler for the next 3 years.  I finally got to see more of the world while traveling on business with Sandia National Labs.